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576 CY
576 CY was the 576th year of the Common Year reckoning, following 575 CY and preceding 577 CY. Canonical events *''World of Greyhawk'' map and gazetteer published. (Folio, 5) *''Guide to the World of Greyhawk'' completed. (WoG, 9) *The Lost Passage of the Suloise is re-discovered. (LGJ #0,11) *Leomund the Red retires from the Circle of Eight. Otiluke, president of Greyhawk’s Society of Magi, replaces him. (tAB, 60; LGJ #0, 6; GPG, 23) *The Nine, now known as the Slave Lords, begin their operations in the Pomarj and Sea of Gearnat. (Slavers, 121) *Warnes Starcoat appointed Chief Sorcerous Councilor to Duke Karll of Urnst. (LGJ #0, 11) *The Red Death plague ravages the Flanaess. (WG8; Dungeon #124, 36) *The mage Akastilan trades away Kieren's Journal (see 561 CY; 566 CY; 569 CY; 575 CY) in the Urnst states. (Dragon #268) Planting *'Planting 1:' Baron Grellus of Restenford assassinated. (Len Lakofka, Grey Chrondex) *Events of The Assassin's Knot. (Len Lakofka, Grey Chrondex) Bastard Greyhawk-specific events *Silas Boh loses his mother to the Red Death in Alhaster. (RV) *A band of goblins establish the ruins of Castle Karn (see 69 CY) as their lair. (N2; RV) *Nantel Cosina, a popular member of the City Watch in Gradsul, Keoland, goes mad, slaughtering his wife and children with an axe before hanging himself. Having no next of kin, ownership of his house is transferred to the city, and the building is boarded up and abandoned. (Dragon #80, 42-44; RV) *The Flamebringers (Carlon, Earthramus, Kayla, Nanolth, and Saldrom) continue to oversee the renovation of Flamebringer Keep (formerly Bone Hill Castle) they began last year (see Reaping, 575 CY), and clear the lands surrounding Bone Hill and Restenford of dangerous creatures. Planting *'Planting 1:' Grellus, Baron of Restenford, is assassinated in his sleep by the assassin Tellish about 1:00 am. His body is discovered several hours later, at 8:00 am. The court mage, Pelltar, sends a rider to Flamebringer Keep, requesting the aid of the adventuring band who moved into in the ruins atop Bone Hill nearly nine months ago. (L1, 2-3; Len Lakofka; Grey Chrondex) *'Planting 2:' The Assassin's Knot (L2, hex B-78). The Flamebringers (Carlon, Earthramus, Kayla, Nanolth, and Saldrom) arrive in Restenford and meet with Pelltar, who hires them to investigate the murder of the Baron. They are told to travel to the neighboring town of Garotten, where they are to seek out three different suspects and determine which is responsible for the murder. *'Planting 3:' The Flamebringers leave Restenford that morning, and arrive in Garotten around 8:00 pm, taking rooms at the House of Abraham. *'Planting 4-8:' The Flamebringers begin their covert investigation of the three suspects: Abraham d’Farmin, innkeeper of the House of Abraham; Harper, the eccentric high priest of the sea goddess Osprem; and Balmorrow, owner of the Theater of the Mystic Celebration. Little progress is made, but none of the three suspects seem likely murderers. *'Planting 8:' Baroness Fairwind of Restenford, Grellus’s widow, is assassinated in her sleep by Tellish. *'Planting 9:' News of Baroness Fairwind's murder reaches the Flamebringers in Garotten. They resolve to work harder. *'Planting 10-13:' The Flamebringers deduce that the three suspects are innocent and the “evidence” implicating them was planted. The underground Garotten assassins' guild is suspected. *'Planting 14:' The Flamebringers suspect the local government of Garotten may be involved in the murders of the Baron and Baroness of Restenford. Carlon, Earthramus, Kayla, Nanolth, and Saldrom slip into the mayor's manor that night, where their suspicions are realized. They discover disguises and other evidence in Tellish’s (the mayor’s closest advisor) room implicating him in the murders. They find evidence that he was hired by Qualton, high priest of Phaulkon in Restenford, to slay the Baron and Baroness in order that the priest might marry their daughter, Andrella, and become Baron Restenford himself! They also find evidence of mayor Arrness’s involvement in the assassins guild. They then proceed to slay Tellish, the mayor, and the other guild members. In the mayor’s chambers, they discover evidence that she planned to have Tellish assassinate Andrella and Qualton after their marriage so that she might take Restenford for herself. They also discover a letter from Qualton announcing his marriage to Andrella the next day. The party takes the documents and leaves immediately for Restenford. *'Planting 15:' The Flamebringers return to Restenford and turn the evidence over to Andrella, but Qualton, apparently one step ahead of the party, is nowhere to be found. Investigating his quarters at the abbey, they find evidence that he was an agent of the Great Kingdom, and that he also did some dealing in slavery. Several letters from a man named “Tancred” detailing the sale of young sacrificial victims to Qualton are found. These letters are stamped with a symbol featuring nine shackles. Through other letters, the party deduces that Qualton has another base of operations in the town of Roland in the Gull Cliffs of the Great Kingdom of Aerdy. Andrella promises a reward for his head. *'Planting 20:' On a cool, windy day, Carlon, Earthramus, Kayla, Nanolth, and Saldrom leave Restenford aboard the ship, the Wavecutter. Flocktime *'Flocktime 3:' The Wavecutter docks in the Aerdian town of Roland, located among the Gull Cliffs. The Flamebringers assume pseudonyms to protect their identity in this hostile land. Carlon as Merlyne, Earthramus as Alanahn, Kayla as Ariel, Nanolth as Kaynon, and Saldrom as Elrick. They begin their quest for Qualton. *'Flocktime 5:' The Flamebringers find Qualton and slay him, taking his Restenford chain of office as proof of his death. They find an unusual amulet on his person, in the shape of an open hand with an eye in its palm. A witness to the combat calls the city guard, and the five flee Roland on stolen horses, right in the middle of a massive thunderstorm. *'Flocktime 9:' Under a heavy fog, the Flamebringers leave the Gull Cliffs behind. *'Flocktime 12:' The Flamebringers reach the Grandwood Forest. They abandon their horses and enter the wood. *'Flocktime 19:' "Forest of Doom" (Dragon #73) Carlon, Earthramus, Kayla, Nanolth, and Saldrom discover a fortress carved from a huge hollowed-out sycamore in the Grandwood Forest (hex S-71). Within, they find a large contingent of drow, and their bugbear and quaggoth servitors. On the second level of the fortress, the Flamebringers discover a large number of prisoners, of whom only one is not broken. This is Malin-Kay Macanaw, a human ranger from Daethnak. Malin informs the others that she was on a mission for Almax when she was captured. Shortly after Malin joins the party, a mysterious shadow creature enters Saldrom’s body and the warrior vanishes (a shadow-stalker sent by the drow mage Alcaro). The remaining five adventurers then discover a pool of shimmering liquid, which acts as a mirror of opposition. The party defeats their magical duplicates with the help of Carlon’s dark god, Arioch. On the top level of the fortress, the party encounter and slay the drow commander, Erihn, and his consort, Meronal. After the drow are defeated, Alcaro appears once more (see Reaping 11-14, 575), and informs the party that he has plans for their friend. The dark elf swears revenge for the slaying of his kinsmen before his astral form vanishes. The party then searches the fortress for Saldrom, but he is nowhere to be found. *'Flocktime 22:' Carlon, Earthramus, Kayla, Malin-Kay Macanaw, and Nanolth reach the Mikar River in the Grandwood. They spend the rest of the day building a raft. *'Flocktime 23:' The Flamebringers board their raft that morning and head down the Mikar River. *'Flocktime 25:' Fortress of the Dretch (original adventure by Brad Faith): Carlon, Earthramus, Kayla, Malin-Kay Macanaw, and Nanolth discover a huge wooden fortress straddling the Mikar River in the Grandwood (hex T-72). The place is inhabited by demons (dretch) serving the Overking Ivid V. The five loot the fortress and destroy the dretch and other inhabitants. *'Flocktime 28:' The Flamebrigers exit the Grandwood via the Mikar River. A heavy rain has been falling all day, and abandon their heavily-worn raft, as Earthramus feels that continuing downriver in such a douwnpour could prove disastrous. Malin-Kay Macanaw leaves the group, heading west to complete her mission for Almax. Kayla joins her. Carlon, Earthramus, and Nanolth want to go as well, but Malin refuses, telling them it’s a mission of stealth, and more than two is too many. The others then journey southwest, on foot, slogging through the mud. Wealsun *'Wealsun 1-8:' Carlon, Earthramus, and Nanolth journey southwest through the See of Medegia, the Great Kingdom's southernmost province. *'Wealsun 9:' Carlon, Earthramus, and Nanolth reach the port city of Pontylver, capital of Medegia. They decide to lie low there for a few days, even though they assume it’s unlikely they’ll be recognized, as Pontylver is quite some distance from Roland. *'Wealsun 13:' While in the Pontylver marketplace, Carlon, Earthramus, and Nanolth are approached by three city guards who tell them they're suspected of being murdering a priest in Roland (see Flocktime 5th, 576) and are ordered to surrender. The three refuse and melee with the guards, slaying two. More guards arrive and Carlon, Earthramus, and Nanolth flee, losing the guards with the help of a mysterious stranger with pitch-black skin, like that of a dark elf. He introduces himself as Tharak, a priest of Phaulkon the wind god. Though they are suspicious at first, as Qualton was also a priest of Phaulkon, Tharak claims no knowledge of the man, nor of Lendore Isle. Given the fact that he helped them escape the guards, the three decide to trust the priest. With his aid, the Flamebringers stow away on an odd-looking ship named the Hell’s Destiny (actually a spelljamming hammership), hiding them in his cabin. The ship leaves port within minutes of their boarding. Tharak explains that even though he has booked his own passage, the other three will eventually be discovered by the crew as stowaways, and it would be best to approach the captain now to explain the situation and pay for their passage, though it will almost certainly be costly, since he wasn't planning on provisions for three extra bodies. The group agrees, and Tharak takes them to meet the captain, a grizzled human sailor named Wade Garrett. While Captain Wade is none too pleased with the situation, he is mollified by the Flamebringer's generous gift of gold and gems, which nearly depletes the party's wealth. *'Wealsun 14:' After a day at sea, the Hell's Destiny takes to the air, much to the surprise of the Flamebringers. Tharak explains spelljamming to the bewildered Carlon, Earthramus, and Nanolth. Tharak also explains that they're headed to another world. While uncertain at first, the Flamebringers realize that they have little choice in the matter, but their concerns are somewhat allayed by the fact that they're unlikely to face further pursuit from the Overking. *'Wealsun 17:' The Hell's Destiny enters a magical portal in the Grinder (the huge asteroid sphere surrounding Oerth, the sun, and the moons) leading to the ocean of the world of Mystara. *'Wealsun 25:' The Hell’s Destiny reaches Ierendi, capital of the island nation of Ierendi. Carlon, Earthramus, Nanolth, and Tharak bid farewell to Captain Wade and disembark. Luckily, Tharak has coins of the realm, and they are able to spend the night in an inn. When Carlon asks why Tharak helped them, the priest simply says that he felt compelled to do so by his god. he tells them that if they wish to return to Oerth, Wade may take them on as crewmen the next time he returns. The three decide to sleep on it check the docks the next day. *'Wealsun 26:' Carlon, Earthramus, Nanolth, and Tharak return to the docks of Ierendi that morning, but the Hell’s Destiny has already left. The priest tells them he knows of someone who can perhaps help them, but he lives on the mainland, several days away. Tharak is going there anyway, and invites the Flamebringers to come along. Unfortunately, he only has enough gold to pay for his passage, and they may have to work for theirs. *'Wealsun 28:' The Flamebringers leave Ierendi aboard the Blue Velvet, Tharak as a passenger, and Carlon, Earthramus, and Nanolth working as crew. While Carlon, unused to manual labor, complains, Earthramus assures him that swabbing decks is better than rotting in the Overking's dungeons. "Or facing the headsman's axe," adds Nanolth. Richfest Reaping *'Reaping 2:' The Blue Velvet reaches Specularum, capital of the Grand Duchy of Karameikos, and Tharak, Carlon, Earthramus, and Nanolth disembark, with the later three being discharged from their service with a small wage. In the city, the four rent rooms at the Flying Hamhock Tavern, where they make the acquaintance of the owner, Fyodor Karamazov (DNG #13). *'Reaping 6:' After several days of bad weather, Carlon, Earthramus, Nanolth, and Tharak are finally able to leave Specularum, serving as guards for a merchant caravan. *'Reaping 13:' Carlon, Earthramus, Nanolth, and Tharak reach the trading village of Rifllian. As the party's destination lies to the northeast, the Flamebringers part from the caravan, with enough pay to purchases horses. *'Reaping 14:' Carlon, Earthramus, Nanolth, and Tharak leave Rifllian. *'Reaping 21:' Carlon, Earthramus, Nanolth, and Tharak reach the famed Keep on the Borderlands. There Tharak introduces them to the lord of the keep, the elven warrior/mage Fingolfin, who offers to help the Flamebringers find a way back to Greyspace if they will perform a mission for him. They are asked to rescue a friend of his, the merchant Bargus Loom, from Baron Von Gorf, a bandit lord occupying a abandoned watchtower a day's journey from the Keep. Fingolfin offers the Flamebringers a substantial amount of gold if they end the menace of Von Gorf as well. The three companions agree, and Fingolfin tells them he will furnish them with supplies and horses, and that they will leave at dawn the next morning, joined by two of his agents. After the audience with Fingolfin, the three ask Tharak to join them on their mission, but he refuses, claiming other business. Tharak does tell them that his brother, Kirigi, is one of the agents mentioned by Fingolfin. *'Reaping 22:' That morning, Carlon, Earthramus, and Nanolth are joined by Fingolfin’s agents: Eloom, a halfling warrior/burglar from the Five Shires, a neighboring land; and Tharak’s brother, Kirigi, a masked, silent human from parts unknown, with coal-black skin like Tharak's. The five leave the Keep on horseback. *'Reaping 23:' Headsgone Tower (original adventure by Rob Vest, inspired by Arco's Dragons n' Monsters toys). Carlon, Earthramus, Eloom, Kirigi, and Nanolth reach the tower before dawn, and sneak in while it’s still dark. Once in, they rescue Bargus Loom, who leaves immediately with KIRIGI, who was assigned to escort him back to the Keep. The rest of the party stays behind in the tower, where they slay Baron Von Gorf and rout his men. The Flamebringers decide to overnight in the tower, and leave for the Keep at dawn. *'Reaping 24:' Before sunrise that morning, while preparing to leave Headsgone Tower, Carlon, Earthramus, Eloom, and Nanolth are re-joined by Tharak (actually a slaver in disguise). At an inopportune moment, “Tharak” takes the party by surprise and knocks them unconscious with a powerful spell, dropping his illusory disguise just before they pass out. Assisted by the surviving bandits of Headsgone Tower (see Reaping 14, 576), “Tharak” has the four shackled, gagged, and loaded into a caged wagon, bound for the slave markets of Thyatis. Goodmonth *'Goodmonth 10:' After two weeks of hard travel through mountains and hilly terrain, the slavers transporting Carlon, Earthramus, Eloom, and Nanolth arrive in the Thyatian city of Biazzan, where the adventurers are thrown into a holding pen with other slaves. *'Goodmonth 12:' After two days in the holding pens, Carlon, Earthramus, Eloom, and Nanolth are loaded onto caged wagons with the other slaves in a large caravan, and leave Biazzan. *'Goodmonth 18:' The slave caravan transporting Carlon, Earthramus, Eloom, and Nanolth reaches the Thyatian port of Kerendas, where the prisoners are loaded onto a waiting ship. *'Goodmonth 19:' The Thyatian slave ship holding Carlon, Earthramus, Eloom, and Nanolth leaves Kerendas. *'Goodmonth 23:' The Thyatian slave ship holding Carlon, Earthramus, Eloom, and Nanolth reaches Thyatis, capital city of the Empire of Thyatis. Within hours, the four find themselves on the auction block, where they are each purchased by separate personages. Carlon is sold to Harfor Strongarm, a human barbarian chieftain from Zeaburg, capitol of the northern kingdom of Ostland; Earthramus to the human Orrin Devinair, head of a wealthy Ierendian family; Eloom to the human sorceress Calania Silverfrost of Glantri; and Nanolth to Calistus Elistes, a human merchant in Thyatis. *'Goodmonth 24:' After a night in the Thyatian holding pens, the Flamebringers are turned over into the custody of their new owners. The barbarian chieftain Harfor Strongarm sails for Zeaburg with Carlon; Orrin Devinair sails for Ierendi with Earthramus; Calania Silverfrost teleports Eloom to Glantri City, where he is forced to wear a magical slave collar and serve as her houseboy; and Nanolth is taken by Calistus to the Arena of Thyatis, where he begins training as a gladiator under the cruel whip of the human arena master, Jubal Marcellus. Harvester *'Harvester 13:' Earthramus arrives in Ierendi, where he is put to work tending Orrin Devinar’s vast gardens. To prevent him from using spells, Devinar has Earthramus drugged daily with a potion which renders him unable to speak. *'Harvester 21:' Carlon arrives in Zeaburg, where he is forced to work as a scribe, translating a book of ancient Sueloise epics, which Harfor Strongarm recently acquired on a raid. Carlon is given a potion to render him speechless, similar to that used on Earthramus. Brewfest *'Brewfest 5:' After 20 days of captivity in Ierendi, Earthramus escapes Orrin Devinar with the help of Elthrazin, a human mage with coal-black skin, who claims to be a brother of Tharak and Kirigi. Elthrazin claims he was sent to rescue Earthramus by Almax. The two stow away on a ship bound for Specularum, the Hard Luck. Patchwall *'Patchwall 7:' After nine days at sea, the Hard Luck reaches Specularum. Elthrazin tells Earthramus to make his way to the city of Ylaruam, northeast in the midst of the Alasiyan Desert, and wait for the others to arrive. The druid stays that night at the Flying Hamhock Tavern (see Reaping 2, 576). *'Patchwall 8:' Earthramus leaves Specularum on foot. *'Patchwall 10:' Nanolth escapes the Arena of Thyatis at nightfall with the help of the silent ninja Kirigi, who leaves him with a note bearing a message to meet the other Flamebringers in Ylaruam. Disguised by Kirigi as a pilgrim, Nanolth slips out of the city that night, traveling north on foot. *'Patchwall 16:' The infant Preh is found on the steps of the Temple of Pelor in Greyhawk City. The babe is turned over to the City Orphanage, and is quickly adopted by a childless watch captain and his wife. *'Patchwall 25:' Nanolth reaches the Thyatian city of Kerendas. *'Patchwall 26:' Nanolth leaves Kerendas on foot. *'Patchwall 27:' Earthramus reaches Selenica, a city in the Republic of Darokin, where he meets Clay of the East Woods, a half-elven ranger from Alfheim, an elven kingdom to the north. *'Patchwall 28:' Earthramus and Clay leave Selenica on stolen horses. 576 Ready'reat *'Ready'reat 2:' Nanolth reaches the Thyatian city of Biazzan. While relaxing in a tavern that evening, he meets Gilitar, a human rogue, who recognizes Nanolth as an escaped slave by the markings from the slave collar he was forced to wear. Gilitar tells Nanolth that he’s tracking an evil priest and his war band, who are camped a few miles from town. Gilitar offers to share the war band’s gold if Nanolth will help him in eliminating them. Nanolth agrees, and the two leave Biazzan that night on stolen horses. Upon finding the camp, they ambush the priest and his minions, slaying them all. After looting the bodies, the pair return to Biazzan and release the stolen horses. *'Ready'reat 4:' Nanolth and Gilitar leave Biazzan on horses bought with gold gleaned from their excursion two nights before. *'Ready'reat 5:' Earthramus and Clay reach the desert city of Parsa. *'Ready'reat 6:' Earthramus and Clay trade their stolen horses for a pair of camels and leave Parsa. *'Ready'reat 8:' Nanolth and Gilitar reach Ctesiphon. *'Ready'reat 9:' Nanolth and Gilitar trade in their horses for camels and leave Ctesiphon, heading north into the Alasiyan Desert. *'Ready'reat 14:' Nanolth and Gilitar reach Ylaruam. They rent rooms at the Black Veil, a local inn. *'Ready'reat 16:' Earthramus and Clay reach Ylaruam, where they join Nanolth and Gilitar at the Black Veil. Earthramus and Nanolth last saw one another on the auction block of the Thyatis slave markets, roughly three months ago (see Goodmonth 23, 576). *'Ready'reat 17:' Late at night, Carlon escapes his captors with the aid of the ebon-skinned warrior Helmar, who claims to be a brother of Tharak and Kirigi. *'Ready'reat 18:' Carlon and Helmar leave Zeaburg early in the morning aboard the Mermaid, a merchant ship upon which they serve as crewmen in return for passage. *'Ready'reat 23:' The Mermaid reaches the port city of Norvik, where Carlon and Helmar stay overnight. Helmar informs Carlon that he must attend to business in the west, and tells the mage to return to the Mermaid the next day and take the ship as far as the port of Soderfjord, and then to journey overland to join his comrades in Ylaruam. *'Ready'reat 24:' Carlon leaves Norvik aboard the Mermaid. Sunsebb *'Sunsebb 3:' Carlon reaches the port city of Soderfjord, capitol of the Soderfjord Jarldoms, where he befriends Drebb, a human thief. *'Sunsebb 4:' Carlon and Drebb leave Soderfjord upon stolen horses. *'Sunsebb 13:' Carlon and Drebb reach the oasis of Cinsa-Men-Noo, at the edge of the Alasiyan Desert. *'Sunsebb 14:' Carlon and Drebb leave Cinsa-Men-Noo upon camels, for which they traded their stolen horses. *'Sunsebb 17:' Carlon and Drebb reach Ylaruam, where they join Earthramus, Nanolth, Gilitar, and Clay at The Black Veil. The wizard last saw his companions on the auction block of the Thyatis slave markets, some four months before (see Goodmonth 23, 576).